(CNN) - Herman Cain ascribed his recent drop in the polls to false sexual harassment allegations and voter confusion about his positions on abortion and foreign policy, saying Sunday that some of his remarks over the past month had been taken out of context.

“Obviously false accusations and confusion about some of my positions has contributed to it,” Cain said on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked by host Candy Crowley about his campaign’s flagging poll numbers.
“That was to be expected. In terms of the campaign itself, nothing has gone wrong in terms of our strategy of spending time in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida," Cain added. "So in terms of the mechanics of the campaign, nothing's gone wrong.”

Cain said criticism over his position on abortion and foreign policy matters was fueled largely by comments that were taken out of context, leading to voter confusion.

“Some people are heavily influenced by perception more so than reality,” Cain said. “The good news is most of my supporters have stayed on the Cain train, as we say.”

In October, Cain made highly publicized remarks on CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight” in which it seemed the former Godfather’s Pizza executive was loosening his position on restricting abortion. Cain said Sunday those comments were taken out of context.

“That whole segment I talked about my position on life from conception, no exceptions,” Cain said. “They didn't show that. Then he basically raised a highly hypothetical situation relative to if it were my granddaughter and that's when they took that part out of context because of a poor choice of words. In retrospect they later got blown out and it became the story.”

On the issue of illegal immigration, Cain restated his support for enforcing laws currently in place, but said he would allow states to deal individually with immigrants. When asked if that meant allowing states to extend amnesty to immigrants, Cain said he wouldn’t use that word.

“It is a package,” Cain said. “Secure the border for real, promote the path to citizenship that's already there - and the path to citizenship that's already there doesn't say anything about amnesty.”

When asked by Crowley about the position he staked out at CNN’s National Security Debate Tuesday on “targeted identification” at airport security checkpoints, Cain said he was simply proposing the most sensible solution to protect Americans.

He said he didn’t use the term “profiling” because of its use in other situations.

“Targeted identification is a deliberate approach to figure out patterns associated with people who have tried to kill us,” Cain said. “That's what that is. Profiling has been used in a lot of other situations and it obscures the whole issue.”

He continued, “I am not trying to identify a particular religion, a particular color, a particular ethnicity. I'm simply saying we should not be afraid to identify those characteristics that basically have been consistent in people.”

soundoff(37 Responses)

Donkey Party

It's ill-informed (insanely ignorant) sub-humans like Keith in Austin that support all these right-wing domestic terrorists that keep the country from ever moving forward. Want a better America? Take away the voting privilege of vote abusers like Keith.

November 27, 2011 11:53 am at 11:53 am |

ddb880

His problem is not confusion, it is stupidity.

November 27, 2011 11:58 am at 11:58 am |

Liz the First

Um, no, Herman, your support is falling as people see what you're really like. go back to pushing pizza.

November 27, 2011 12:03 pm at 12:03 pm |

Marry

The only “confusion” to be seen is Mr. Cain and ALL the other GOP/TP candidates, not comprehending what the requirements for the highest job in the land are. A little hint: Not one of the GOP/TP candidates qualify!
2012 cannot come soon enough to get all these “pledges” and “pretenders” out and a strong Democrat House and Senate in!

November 27, 2011 12:07 pm at 12:07 pm |

Dan

What is unfortunate is that this particular candidate never seems to take responsibility for his statements. The confusion clearly eminates from his the fact that he is unsure of what he stands for and changes positions frequently.

November 27, 2011 12:10 pm at 12:10 pm |

T'sah from Virginia

►Cain: Confusion has led to drop in support
And after this interview, I say he should jump on a ship and abort
Because if he thinks “confusion” led to his DROP which is pushing him out
He needs to “think again” because he has NO CLUE what a presidency is all about

I tried very hard to figure out what it is about Cain that I don’t like
I came to the conclusion that he is reaching too far to the RIGHT
He knows doggone well that he’s BLACK and adores collard greens
What he’s missing is the fact that Whites eat greens too – by all means!!

Obama 2012

November 27, 2011 12:11 pm at 12:11 pm |

Larry From Michigan

I don't think Cain has any idea of what he is saying himself. He is as good at double talk as anybody i have ever seen.
He continualy contradicts what he has just said.

November 27, 2011 12:15 pm at 12:15 pm |

Harry Pearce

I find it funny they print Cain losing support when the latest polls showing him pulling back into the lead. Seems we have had experienced, "slick willie" politicians for a while now, and what have we got? Massive debt and unemployment.

We need a problem solver!
GO HERMAN CAIN 2012!!!

November 27, 2011 12:18 pm at 12:18 pm |

Icicle22

Herman Cain, being interviewed by Candy Crowley as I type this, on the topic of immigration and companies employing illegal immigrants, just made the comment:

"We need to make it easier for corporations to enforce the law."

That sums up this year's Republican philosophy.

November 27, 2011 12:18 pm at 12:18 pm |

Larry From Michigan

targetted identification, profiling Cain says that they are not the same. HMMMMMMMMMMMM. I think they are exactly the same. This man can twist things to what he believes in his own mind and can't see that it comes accross as just as avoiding the questions that he was just asked.

November 27, 2011 12:21 pm at 12:21 pm |

Michael Sulich

Watching Candy interview Cain was like sitting in a dentist chair !! It is obvious that Cain is not "Able" to assume any office that requires thought and analysis. That poor man should be serving pizza at the drive up window.

November 27, 2011 12:27 pm at 12:27 pm |

Leo PA

Cain Mutiny, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Gingrich the Grinch, and the rest of the repukelicans have not chance to win.